Blue Cayenne

Cauliflower, Potato and Cheese Soup

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 T. salted butter
• 2 whole cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
• 3 C. diced onions
• 1 C. diced celery
• 2 heads of cauliflower (separated into florets)
• 3 Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks) or equivalent amount of russett potatoes
• 10 C. vegetable stock
• 4 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 C. light cream
• 1 t. ground nutmeg
• 1 t. dry mustard
• 3 t. Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 6 dashes Tabasco sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Garnish with parsley

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in your soup pot over medium-high heat and saute the garlic, onions, celery, cauliflower florets and potatoes. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Saute for about 10 minutes and then add the stock to cover the vegetables. Bring the stock to a boil and then lower the heat to medium and simmer the soup for 30 to 35 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in cheese (small handfuls at a time), cream, nutmeg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper.
2. Puree he soup in batches. I used a hand blender but you could also use a regular blender for this job. Garnish soup with parsley. I added a small heart-shaped piece of roasted red pepper for color.

Nutrition

Calories

5171 cal

Fat

286 g

Carbs

498 g

Protein

161 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Sticky Cranberry Gingerbread

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 C. fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 C. granulated sugar
• 1 T. water
• 1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces)
• 2/3 C. dark brown sugar
• 1/2 C. whole milk
• 1/2 C. maple syrup
• 1/4 C. molasses
• 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 T. ground ginger
• 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. black pepper
• 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
• 1 T. (or more) grated fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece)
• Powdered sugar and/or whipped cream for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.
2. Stir cranberries, sugar and 1 T. water together in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the cranberries begin to burst. The juice from the cranberries should be thick and bubbling when your cranberries are properly cooked. Your aim should be for a cranberry sauce where about one half of the cranberries have burst. This will take about 10 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside.
3. Combine butter, brown sugar, milk, maple syrup and molasses in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Bring this mixture to a simmer and then remove it from the heat. You want to avoid having this mixture curdle, so do not let it boil.
4. Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda and finely-ground black pepper into a large bowl. Using a hand-held mixer, beat in the butter-maple syrup mixture until you have a smooth batter. Next, beat in the eggs. Stir in the grated fresh ginger.
5. Using a spatula, scrape your batter into the prepared baking pan. Drop generous dollops of the cranberry sauce on top of the batter. Use a knife to swirl the cranberries into the batter in a nice design.
6. Bake until the top of the cake is firm and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. This will take between 40 and 50 minutes at 350 degrees F. My cakes have been ready in 40 minutes. When your cake is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool on a wire rack until it is completely cool. Dust with powdered sugar or serve with a dollop of whipped cream (or both!).

Barley and Lentil Salad with Feta

Save Recipe

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Salad
• 1/2 C. dry green lentils
• 1/2 C. dry pearl barley
• 1 garlic clove (peeled)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 packed cup fresh spinach (chopped)
• 1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 small red onion (finely chopped)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Garnish with sliced avocado, chopped roasted walnuts, tomatoes, red onion and extra feta
For the Dressing
• 1/4 C. olive oil
• 1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
• 1 T. grainy mustard
• 1 t. maple syrup (or honey)
• 1 garlic clove (crushed)

Instructions

1. Put lentils, barley and garlic clove into a pot of water The water should cover the grains/lentils by about 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil and cook for about 45 minutes until the lentils and the barley are tender. Once the water comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer. Drain the lentils and barley and discard the garlic clove. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine the cooled lentils and barley with tomato, spinach, feta, and onion in a large bowl. Sprinkle with some freshly-ground black pepper.
3. Add the dressing ingredients to a bowl or a small jar. Shake or whisk the ingredients together. Pour over the salad (I didn't use all the dressing. Add dressing to your taste.) Toss the salad to coat with the dressing.
4. Garnish with additional sliced red onion, roughly-chopped roasted walnuts, sliced avocado and/or a bit of extra crumbled feta. Serve or refrigerate until needed.

Nutrition

Calories

2144 cal

Fat

69 g

Carbs

334 g

Protein

42 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info